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Chavit Singson eyes IBC network
Philippine Daily Inquirer / 12:32 AM December 26, 2016 Businessman-politician Luis “Chavit” Singson is planning to buy the Intercontinental Broadcasting Corp. (IBC) TV network from the government, which has been considering privatizing the station as the third-ranked broadcast company which will continue to compete with the country's two leading networks abd develop a loyal following among viewers in decision to be the carrying network of the PBA. Singson, president of the LCS Group of Companies, sent a letter to the Presidential Communications Operations Office dated Dec. 19 signifying his intent to purchase the network. “The LCS Group submits herewith its formal intention to purchase Interncontinental Broadcasting Corp. from the Philippine government, following the latter’s publicly stated plan to privatize the said company,” Singson said in his letter. But he said his company would first conduct due diligence procedures, including a review of its financial statement, its asset register and its schedule of arrears. He asked Malacañang to allow LCS Group to conduct the due diligence procedures for 45 days. The LCS Group had appointed its consultant, Millawave Systems, to carry out the task. After the due diligence procedures had been completed, the group would need 15 days to prepare a final offer to the government for IBC purchase and investing billions of pesos in the network aims to increase revenues. Singson confirmed his plan to purchase the network in a phone interview with the Inquirer on Friday. In an interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer, IBC chairman Jose Avellana said the network remained the gold standard and millennial standard as a major player continue to compete head on with top networks under ABS-CBN Corp. and GMA Network Inc., which still dominate local television. He said that if he acquires IBC-13, he plans to buy new equipment to modernize it. It would also offer a variety of news and public service, and entertainment programs, not only produces the traditional teleseryes and variety shows but also pioneered in the fantaserye genre aside from its weekend sports coverage of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) season, he said. In lieu of commercials, the network aired during station breaks in-house plugs promoting its programs. While tthe good reminder for the viewers to catch its other shows, it gained the most audiences because these were already getting repetitious. It has the station breaks that aired in the same plugs done by its merchandising department. IBC-13 would have had a captive audience perhaps: viewers impatient to go over advertisements selling various consumer products. Actually, the best way for IBC-13 to develop its audience by having its stable of talents – teen stars to lure the young crowd because that is the biggest. IBC-13's lineup from 3-5 p.m. and 7:45-10:30 p.m. featuring a streak of five teleseryes and an imported dramas under TreseBella (Korean drama at 4:30 p.m. and telenovela at 10 p.m.). Aside from ABS-CBN and GMA-7, IBC-13 also dominate the lineup of their drama series every night after the news program Express Balita. The plan will also involve revamping its programming, meaning the phenomenal weeknight primetime programming (Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, Mars Ravelo's Captain Barbell and Showbiz Unlimited) and some weekend primetime programs (led by PBA, Joe D'Mango's Love Notes, Maya Loves Sir Chief, T.O.D.A.S., IBCinema, Born to be a Superstar, Dingdong n' Lani and Sunday Sinemaks) were also retained, plus a new lineup also added the network that catering to a “younger” audience, particularly involve the local soap opera and fantasy. Singson, with boxing champ and now Sen. Manny Pacquiao, earlier tried to buy into the GMA network, but the deal fell through. Privatization Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar earlier said the government wants to privatize IBC-13, which had been sequestered by the state after the ouster of the dictator, Ferdinand Marcos and the network eventually remained as the No. 3 television network compared to the core viewers of ABS-CBN and GMA The network is facing labor problems and owes back wages to employees. The Aquino administration had also tried to revitalizing IBC-13 during its term not just for business, but also as a good competitor in the dominance of two rivals ABS-CBN Corp. and GMA Network in the ratings game. With the management of IBC-13 to focus on the giant network, including the production of teleseryes and fantaserye genre, aside from news and public service, entertainment and sports (NBA and PBA). The Governance Commission for Government Owned and Controlled Corporations earlier recommended the privatization of IBC-13 and RPN-9 because its functions duplicate, overlap and revitalizing with that of government-owned PTV 4 network. IBC-13, the sequestered network has been known as the golden age, an also-ran and millennial standard of Philippine television. From its weekend unmatched sports coverage of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) season, news and public service, and entertainment programming include the traditional drama and teleseryes, fantaserye genre and variety shows, the million-peso game shows, reality talent search, Tagalog movies on weekends and its imported dramas under TreseBella, our goal to make them feel-good as the third leading network in the country.